A school-based mental health program for traumatized Latino immigrant children

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• School Psychology
• Trauma-Informed Care

Background:

• Latino immigrant students face unique challenges, including exposure to community violence.
• Trauma-related mental health issues like depression and PTSD are prevalent in this population.
• School settings offer a crucial venue for delivering mental health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot-test a school-based mental health program for Latino immigrant students exposed to community violence.
• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention.
• To assess the program's impact on trauma-related depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental study involving 198 students (3rd-8th grade) with trauma-related symptoms.
• Intervention group received an eight-session, Spanish-language, group CBT program.
• Waitlist control group received no immediate intervention; parents/teachers received support.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in PTSD and depressive symptoms compared to the waitlist group at 3-month follow-up.
• The program was successfully implemented and evaluated within the school setting.
• A modest decline in trauma-related mental health problems was observed.

Conclusions:

• A collaborative, trauma-focused CBT program was developed for Latino immigrant students and families.
• School-based delivery by clinicians is feasible and effective for traumatized youth.
• The pilot test supports the use of this program to address mental health needs in vulnerable student populations.